Is commission calculated on the VAT-inclusive order value?

It depends on your agreement, and it is worth checking the exact wording. The UAE charges VAT at 5% at the point of sale, and that 5% is remitted, never earned — so a commission computed on the gross, VAT-inclusive ticket is being charged on money you must hand to the tax authority. The difference is small per order and real across a year. Ask which base your contract uses and build your channel P&L on revenue net of VAT.

From Aggregator Economics 2026: What Delivery Really Costs in the UAE, KSA and India — the full reading, with the method behind this answer.